Please help me to choose a CZ 75...

P

Pendragon

New member
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
Location
An island off the Wet Coast.
Hello, Nutz.

Since joining the forum in the spring, I've bought a new CZ 455 American, an old Browning Challenger (both in .22LR) and a Weatherby 12 gauge that's somewhere in between (so I have only a mild addiction so far). I'm now becoming interested in IPSC and am thinking about acquiring a CZ 75. The problem I have is that I'm finding it very difficult to sift through the details of the various models, view them in the context of IPSC divisions, and make a decision. It's just too confusing for a novice!

So far, I've come to the conclusion that the CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow is probably my best bet, although I'm tempted by the Canadian Edition and also by the Tactical Sport. While these are significantly more expensive than the Shadow, I could spring for one of them if I really had to. They seem to go up in about $500 increments, which is very painful!

Here's my logic so far:

• I've handled a couple of models and fired a few rounds, so I'm reasonably confident that I can find a grip that works for me (I have slim, but actually fairly large, hands).
• Since I'm a novice, this will be my first centre-fire gun, and I don't have reloading equipment, I'll go for 9mm.
• I have old eyes and think I would benefit from fibre-optic sights (at least at the front). I also need reading glasses to focus on the front sight, but this throws the target too far out of focus. I'm hoping that a more visible fibre-optic front sight might allow me to do without the readers.
• My joints and reflexes are as old as my eyes (although they sometimes feel older), so I'm unlikely to ever become a high level competitor. If I ever do manage to excel, I would expect to up-grade to something with a larger calibre and a higher level of tune at that time, so starting with anything more expensive than a Shadow might not be a good investment.
• I believe that a Shadow will accept the Kadet .22LR adapter. This is attractive, because it would give me a cheaper way of developing muscle-memory and would also give me a .22 target pistol as a bonus.

Here are some of my questions:

• Is my logic generally sound?
• Are fibre-optic sights classified as "optical" in the IPSC rules? If so, then I assume this would place the Shadow in a more challenging division and I might do better to choose a pistol with iron sights. If not, would I be able to fit a fibre-optic rear sight as well?
• I'm developing a real appreciation for good triggers. Is the Shadow's trigger going to be "good enough" in terms of pull and reset? If I start messing with springs, would this have implications for the IPSC division?
• Will the Kadet .22LR adapter take a red dot sight? This would solve the reading glasses problem, if only for .22 target shooting.
• I'm still struggling with some of the terminology, so what have I missed?

Thanks for your help,

PD
 
CZ SP-01 Shadow comes with fiber optic front sight and it is the most popular IPSC Production gun. Fiber optics is OK for Production, it's not an Optical sight (=Open Division).
You can make factory trigger nice(r) by replacing the main spring and stay in Production if the DA/first shot trigger pull is over 5.5 LBs. Lots of recommendations on spring replacement available.

I'd go with regular Shadow, not some fancy variation of it. Tactical Sport is entirely different animal.

Kadet kit 2/II wil fit the shadow, sometimes needs minor fitting, BUT with reduced power main spring you'll be getting light primer hits and no ignition more often than it makes sense to tolerate. Given the price of .22 now and the price of Kadet conversion and mags, I opted for always using the same 9mm 147gr ammo for training as for matches. Sold Kadet.

s>
 
Last edited:
Sp-01is a great gun, as everyone will say is ipsc ready out the box. It sounds like you've done your homework as well as fired a few rounds with one, I've shot the sp-01 a few times. If it had more ambi features I'd already own one.
 
The Kadet conversions work well from my experience but they cost a fair bit and can be hard to find.
The easy way to run a red dot is to use a mount that attaches to the rail on the pistol like this, it would work with both the 9mm and .22lr tops.
Mako_CZ75SP01_Left_Enlarged.jpg
 
CZ 75 Shadowline. A Shadow, but better looking. I have the Kadet kit and love it. The low recoil really helps me with learning trigger reset and everything else. However doing it over again I would buy the whole Kadet pistol instead. That way you can run the lighter spring in 9mm without switching back all the time.
 
I'm old too and have the CZ SP01 shadow line. I find the fibre optics great for my old eyes. I own at least a dozen handguns, semis, revolvers, .22, 9mm, .357, .44 mag, .45lc, .45acp, .460 S&W etc. The CZ is by far, the most accurate for me out of the box with nothing done to it. On other guns, I've put on match barrels, done trigger work, etc. and that's good but still the CZ is better. I like that it feels like a 1911 with the slim aluminum grips. My two cents, not too sure about the other CZ's.
 
Here are my thoughts in random order:
- don't bother with Kadet and get into reloading. I reload 9mm for about 16 cents per round. 22 is about 9-10 per round. The Kadet kit is over $500 and you would be spending less then that for a full reloading setup
- the SP-01 Shadow is a very good gun. I've shot a Shadowline and can't justify the extra money they charge for it
- The TS is not what you want to start out with. It would put you in Standard Minor.
- You can do trigger work on the SP-01 Shadow, but if you do you will need lighter primers to make it go bang. My trigger is stock and is only about 3.5 lbs single action. The double-action is about 12lbs, but you quickly learn to deal with it
 
extra $350 for a Shadowline over a regular SP-01 Shadow - does not worse it. Take a CZ75 SP-01 Shadow and save $350 for upgrades and ammo :) just my 2 cents ;)


to reduce you DA from factory to 6-6.5lbs you just need to replace a factory 18lbs main spring to a 13lbs main spring...... :)
 
Buy the CZ SP01 Shadow. The many fine features on this gun makes it a very decent buy and it can be used cocked & locked like the venerable 1911, or it can be used like the Beretta 92FS, DA first shot, single action second shot.
That's versatility.
Fishing World in Hamilton has a few left for C$899.00. Comes with 3 mags.
 
Yet another vote for the shadow...it really is that good straight out of the box...and I can't imagine ever getting rid of mine either...
 
Thank you for all your constructive comments! I think I can say that the primary decision has now been made: it's going to be the SP-01 Shadow (and thanks to hatman for the lead on a good price). The SP-01 Shadow Line is closer in price to the Canadian Edition than to the Shadow, but doesn't seem to offer much more for the money. For a little extra, I'd go for the Canadian over the Shadow Line, but I think the SP-01 Shadow will be good enough - and I can put the $500 I've saved towards another gun. How's that for logic!

Thanks to Stranger for the comment of the potential problem of using the Kadet adapter with a weaker spring - I hadn't thought of that, but perhaps the factory spring will be OK if I cross my fingers (not too literally). Stranger also mentions using 9mm 147gr ammunition...although I haven't looked very closely at ammunition yet, I was intending to start with CCI Blazer Brass 124gr; will this be sufficient to meet the "minor" power factor requirements?

Can-down is correct about the Kadet adapter being pricey; it's $800 at Reliable Gun - almost the cost of the Shadow itself. Looks like I might just have saved a further $800!

The Kadet pistol appears to have been discontinued. I can look out for a used one, but I suspect that there aren't many around. I like the rail-mounted red dot sight, so I might get one of those for general target practice.

Chas59, I suspect that our eyes are of similar age, so I appreciate your endorsement of the SP-01 Shadow and of fibre-optic sights in particular!

AHiltz, I think that reloading will come eventually if I take to IPSC and decide to commit to it in the long term. I'm too cheap to pay much more than I have to, but for now, it's just something else I have to learn and make time for. I didn't realise that a reloading setup could be had for that kind of money. My preliminary arithmetic indicates that I might shoot 300 rounds in a club match at about 64 cents per round for commercial ammunition. If I can reload for 16 cents, then there's a potential saving of $150 per match, so the payback looks good. I might be just too lazy to pick up my brass, so I'll have to do the sums again for new brass to find out just how lazy I am!

In summary, I'm going to go ahead with the acquisition of the SP-01 Shadow. I'll blast a few rounds through it and get a feel for the trigger and overall handling before I consider any spring tweaks. I'll learn how to strip it and clean it (obviously), and I'll take a close look at the fit and finish while I'm in there before I jump to any conclusions. Since I've saved $500 by not buying the Canadian Edition and a further $800 by not buying the Kadet Adapter, I should be in good shape for buying extra mags, a belt and holster, a red dot sight, and probably a Ruger Mk3 target pistol as well. It's been a good day!

In the meantime, thanks again for all your comments, insight, and endorsements. I really do appreciate them all. I'll probably start a follow-up thread as I get deeper into the minutiae of accessories.

Cheers,

PD
 
When I bought my CZ I also bought 1000 rds of CCI Blazer. Taxes and shipping in it was $350. I then bought a brand new, fully setup Lee Classic Turret with 2000 primers, 2000 bullets and a pound of powder (already had brass) for about $750 taxes in. That meant that I was basically paying the same price for either my next 2000 factory rounds or my own 2000 loads with the press paid for. Only takes me about 20 mins to load 100 rounds, so it doesn't use up a lot of time to load
 
I have the regular Shadow and the Canadian edition which I got used at a decent price. These are the two most accurate guns I own, and equally so. I can't say the Canadian edition is worth the extra expense if buying new. Trigger is lighter and smoother on the Canadian edition.
 
have a CZ 75 SP01 Shadow and a Kadet II kit, after 4 years it is still by far my favorite, I heard of a .22 LR shortage coming and bought 60000 rounds before the price went up and find that I shoot more 40 grain .22 than all of my 1911's and 9 mm combined, The Kadet is fussy about ammo but once you find the right match you will be very happy. I will never sell the Shadow and Kadet II.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom